Why a record beats a single reading
One test result tells you where your tank is today. A run of results tells you which way it is heading, which is far more useful. A reading that looks fine on its own can look quite different when you can see it has doubled since last week.
A simple format
Keep a note on paper or your phone with a line for each test:
- The date
- Water temperature
- pH
- Ammonia
- Nitrite
- Nitrate
- Anything you did that week: water change, new fish, new food, a filter clean
That last column is the one people leave out, and it is usually the one that explains the numbers.
How often
While a tank is establishing, test often: every couple of days is not excessive. Once it is settled and stable, a weekly or fortnightly check is usually enough, plus a test any time something changes or something looks wrong.
Bringing a sample in
If you would like us to look at your water, call ahead to check what we can do that day. Bring a sample in a clean container, taken from the middle of the tank rather than the surface, and bring it in as fresh as you can along with your written record.